My mum first realised that I had dyslexia when I was five years old. At this time, she would attend parent-teacher meetings at my school and be told that there was nothing wrong with me I was just “stupid”. My mum wouldn’t accept this and pushed for the school to accept that it was more complicated than that. It took a further four years to get some support. When I was nine years old, I went into a class where the teacher recognised that I wasn’t “stupid” and I was tested for dyslexia. At this time, I was statemented and finally got the support that I needed.
When I left primary school and went to secondary school, my mum ensured that I went somewhere that was known for supporting children with learning difficulties. It was when I attended secondary school it was identified that I also had dyspraxia as well as dyslexia. I was told by my learning support teachers that it is very unusual for girls to have both conditions. For me, my dyslexia affected my reading and writing abilities and dyspraxia affected my hand-eye coordination and my memory.
As a child, I was fortunate that I got the support that I needed. When I started secondary school, I had a reading age of six years old, but by the time I left, I had a reading age of 18. During the time that I had study leave for my GCSEs, I spent every day in the Learning Support Department studying, but unfortunately, I only received one GCSE of a C grade – the rest were below. Fortunately, I went on to college and then university and received a degree in Performing Arts.
Bupa has supported me with my learning from the moment I started at Oasis; from the Practice Manager Academy, the Essential Excellence Course, a Level 5 diploma and most recently, Unstoppable People Leaders.
In 2021 I applied to take part in the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management. Due to my dyslexia, I still did not have my GCSE Maths and English in a C or above, so Bupa supported me to complete my functional skills Maths and English at the age of 38. I also was able to achieve my Level 5 Diploma at distinction level.
To know that even though I have a learning difficulty that means it can be difficult for me when reading and writing I have still been able to do all this and been supported through some very difficult learning moments.
I think the way that we can encourage challenging health stereotypes is by helping people to understand that not all disabilities are visible and by helping people with learning disabilities know that just because things are sometimes difficult to do it doesn’t mean you can’t do them.
